


a season of change

by borderlinecrazy



Category: Iron Man - All Media Types, Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers - Ambiguous Fandom
Genre: Aftermath of Torture, Alcohol Abuse/Alcoholism, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Anal Sex, Angst, Bigotry & Prejudice, Biology Inaccuracies, Capitalism, Child Abuse, Child Neglect, Explicit Language, Explicit Sexual Content, F/F, F/M, Gen, Homophobia, Implied Underage Sex, M/M, Mpreg, Multi, Omega Tony, Other, Oviposition, Past Torture, Politics, Religious Conflict, Suicide Notes, Worldbuilding, multiple POVs, population crisis, safe sex
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2013-05-16
Updated: 2013-08-07
Packaged: 2017-12-12 00:58:26
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 10,371
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/805301
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/borderlinecrazy/pseuds/borderlinecrazy
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Steve doesn't understand why he and Tony just don't get along, and finally fed up begins asking for help amongst his fellow Avengers. The eye-opening results put him on a path to a new self-awareness and better relationship with the whole team, not just Tony.<br/>Meanwhile, Tony is seeking a new opportunity to be a better hero, to open new doors to a better world besides just clean energy. After all, between politics, research, cost, competitor's contracts, and other issues, it will be decades before that shows any real results on a nationwide scale, much less global. Perhaps Alpha/Omega rights, something he can support now, will suit the bill?<br/>He might even come out of hiding himself.<br/>Up for adoption.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Prologue

Tony sighed, rubbing his eyes. He set down the tablet, done reading ‘the diary of the unknown biologist’ or the father of the current human sexual diversity. A Genius before his time, he single handedly created Alpha females, Alpha males, Omega females, and Omega males out of what originally had been only ordinary male and female humans (now termed ‘betas’ to separate from ‘alpha’ and ‘omegas’.) And this several hundred years before the human genome project was even started, much less finished!

Tony wasn’t a biologist like Dr.Banner, etymologist like Dr. Pym, or otherwise generally in the know about medical sciences. His genius leaned rather heavily towards mechanical and technological advances. His PhDs were in several (every) form of Engineering (save bio), Robotics, and  the like, after all. But, that didn’t mean he was unfamiliar with the story that started it all… or the shitstorm that came after, and was still raining down.

He sighed, and picked up the tablet once more. Maybe, just maybe, if he could understand that ancient genius’s motives, it would help him work out how to meet his goals now.

_The Great Plague has passed, although the Black Death is never too far, and the Dark Ages are receding once again. A Renaissance is upon us. But there are few, so very few, left. The Church, our Holy Mother, has turned away from those such as St. Albertus Magnus, and his teachings. Our studies must now be carried out in secret._

_If we have any hope of continuing to live, we must adapt. Take from the animals around us, those that produce such litters and live, and ‘go forth and multiply!’_

<Here, the parchment is torn, translation continues with the next bit of parchment>

_Males felines have tiny barbs on their penises; curved backwards like thorns. Observation suggests three reasons for this:_  
          1)the barbs contain small amounts of chemicals, which when introduced into the female’s bloodstream lead to an end to the heat (heat does not end without copulation naturally, although over time, they do seem to adjust)  
          2)the ripping caused by the barbs directly effects ovulation (number of penetrations a female experiences during a heat does seem to relate to the size of litter, although it is not a perfect correlation – other things must also be a factor)  
         3)swelling is caused by the damage done, which then forces the opening closed, limiting the female’s chances of mating with different males, also possibly helping hold in the male’s semen for longer to increase chances of more viable offspring (must look into this)

_Females go into heat variably, depending upon the variety of cat. Menopause does not seem to exist, nor does menstrual cycles. (Less bleeding seems safer, this seems a very viable option!!!)_

_Will continue to look at other options, check for additional crosses or more compatible matches, however Feline genes are most assuredly a possibility._

<The next four sheets were badly burned, only the top and edging near the binding remain, translation continues where possible>

_-ines have a large bulbous fixture at the base of their penises, which inflates inside the females. As males often are bored with copulation long before the swelling goes down, observation suggests this is entirely for propagation and does nothing to enhance pleasure. Indeed, the males even twist in such a manner as to suggest no sensitivity whatsoever, turning away from the females even while within them, so they are facing away from each other and laying down to sleep!_

_Females go into heat once or twice a year, from maturity until menopause, without menstrual cycles._

_This option only viable as a crossbreed if blended with other compatible matches. Loss of sensation not an acceptable cost, as will decrease desire to copulate thus decreases number of children. Counterproductive! Also, menopause still presents an undeniable problem. Must be resolved!  
The continued frustration over lack of females in comparison to males, and loss of breeding time while the female is carrying has also yet to be resolved. Perhaps birds, and other egg-laying creatures should be considered?_

<many pages from the original test were water damaged, burned and torn, from this point, only scattered phrases were intact to be translated>

_cloaca to blend digestive tract and reproductive – can be used to tie in new, crossbred system separate from original human system_

_males also fertile, numbers double for potential carriers_

_eureka! bees_

_seed the changes into the populace, and_

_take three months, then will see… adults and children already born will show mild, all new children will be fully integrated_

_failed, will try again, if the Church does not come_

_are coming! Someone has leaked to the Inquisitors, and they are coming! I must hide my research, and my notes, so that someday, someone can continue my research lest we doom ourselves to extinction._


	2. Who's fault is it anyways?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Steve's POV

Steve was pissed. Yesterday, after their umpteenth paparazzi mobbing, he had been pissed. However, a calm night out with Sharon had helped. But, then he had returned to the Tower, and the living room of their common floor was a mess. A huge mess. Not that that was unusual, however, after living in an orphanage and in military barracks, Steve was used to tidy. He liked tidy. Order was comfortable. So, he started to clean, and of course, the TV was on, and of course, there were complaints about the Avengers in general, and Iron Man in particular. It didn't matter that Tony used Iron Man to go after the Stark weapons terrorist had gotten a hold of entirely on his own. He was an Avenger, so of course it reflected on the Avengers! It didn't matter that Steve had asked him, all but begged him, hell, he'd even ordered him, to stand down until they gained more information and could go in together. Nooooo. Of course not!

And, if that wasn't reason enough, there were fliers, pamphlets, and Starkpads with open documents, and random notes scrawled in Tony's messy handwriting, all relating to Omega rights. Didn't Tony have enough on his plate? He had how many supervillains (and who the heck coined that phrase, anyway?) after him personally? He had Stark Industries to run, his consulting for SHIELD, the Avengers, his weapons hunting (which really shouldn't be separate from the Avengers, now that they were a team, no matter what Tony thought) and his clean energy thing (which did count as separate from Stark Industries because it was as much a political thing that was bound to take years in changing laws, as it was a tech thing to be sold) not to mention all the other random projects he was working on at any given moment in his workshop. Wasn't he busy enough? Did he really *have* to go looking for more shit to stir up in the media and ruin the Avenger's reputation with, just by association?

Yelling didn't work. Lecturing didn't work. Orders obviously didn't work. Bribing was patently impossible - Stark was wealthy enough the only things he wanted that his money couldn't buy, his looks did, and invariably ended up in the Tabloids (which was counterproductive.) He was too old to be placed in time-out, although sometimes Steve really wished Howard had maybe used that a bit more with Tony. Maybe then he wouldn't be so damn stubborn, and could think of the team instead of just himself! Frankly, Steve was out of ideas.

So, at this point, he was looking for help. He was starting with Bruce, as, for reasons unfathomable to Steve (beyond the obvious of them both being geniuses and thus able to talk shop to each other) the two had struck up a friendship. Pepper, of course, knew Tony better but one really shouldn't go to the ex for info about how to handle someone, should they? Especially as, in as much as Steve had been able to figure out, she broke up with him because she couldn't handle him either. So, Bruce, as a friend and as a teammate, was the best choice.

And Bruce was even in his lab! Steve was still pissed, but his day was looking up. "Dr. Banner?" It was always a good idea to be polite.

Bruce looked up from whatever he had been watching under his microscope. "Oh, hi Steve. What brings you here today?" Bruce smiled slightly, as if trying to hide his shock (or perhaps prevent it, his heart-rate monitoring watch a visible reminder why surprise, like anger and fear, were *very bad things*) at seeing Steve in his lab for ay reason other than a team injury. He, as well as the rest of the team, knew better than to assume Steve was stupid (or even ignorant, not after the months of acclimatization work that had been put in) but just because he was capable of learning everything Bruce knew did not give him the temperament or desire to do so. Science, technology, even biology (short of the basic knowledge of anatomy needed for realism) were not his interests; outside of his 'duties' Steve was an artist first and foremost.

"Well, I'm in need of some advice... Frankly, the situation with Tony, and his horrible team efforts, his inability to take orders, running or flying off on his own, changing mission parameters, and otherwise endangering himself and other members of the team has become something I cannot ignore. But nothing I do seems to work, nothing gets through to him! I need to know how to correct this behavior. Can you help me?"

"Steve, Tony doesn't have a problem. YOU do. All of us have gone off mission before. Thor, Ms. Romanov, Clint, The Other Guy has run certainly amok, and even you have charged in to save a team member or civilian more than once. Why is it only a problem when Tony does it?" Bruce bit out harshly.

Steve hesitated. First of all, he wasn't even certain he believed that, second, as this was a team issue not a personal one, he was vaguely uncomfortable with the informality and familiarity. It wasn't that he didn't like it, it helped ground him, knowing his team was also his group of friends, but only when they were being friends. Still, he pushed his disquiet aside, and thought back through several missions, and realized there were examples of exactly what Bruce claimed.

"If you're trying to convince me that my friend does not belong on this team - when he's done more for this team, including you, than you have - you're barking up the wrong tree. He helped me with accepting the Other Guy and in learning to communicate with him. He gave us - all of us - a home, even those of us he doesn't exactly have reasons to trust, much less like enough to live with. He's helped us be better Avengers with our training facilities, labs and technology, access to JARVIS, and even personally upgrading our weapons and armor - against his personal anti-weapons creation ideals."

It was all true, and very generous on Tony's part Steve had to admit, but they just showed a caring and charitable person, not necessarily a good and efficient member of the team.

Bruce frowned, and his skin began taking a slightly greenish tint. It was obvious Steve wasn't listening, and unfortunately the Other Guy liked Tony. He had singlehandedly saved Tony's life, very early in their acquaintance. In fact, just about the only other person the Other Guy liked as much as Tony had been Betty. Yes, when dealing with the Abomination, he'd learned to speak to express himself, and made a clear choice about what right and wrong meant to him, which was what allowed him to function as an Avenger. Yes, he followed Steve's orders, mostly, when given. But, ultimately, without Tony he just wouldn't be here. Steve was threatening that, and the Other Guy didn't like it.

"He even designed those VR headsets with JARVIS linked in to help you merge with current culture and fit in. Did you even bother to think what was involved in that? He's brilliant, but biology isn't his area of expertise; it's mine. Yet he still figured out you were an edict - which wasn't in the Strategic Reserve files, you know, and what that might mean for you before I did. We even had discussions about the moral implications, because of how that might affect research into the 7 other known edicts worldwide and Alzheimer's disease. Tony thought there was potential for the serum to actually be a viable cure; which is what all the research is about, yet what if it got into the wrong hands, like General Ross's, again? Or what if the researchers messed up, like I did, when I was looking into it for cancer?" Bruce's tone had been steadily getting harsher and his voice louder. He was losing his tight grip on his anger.

Steve blinked; he really wasn't sure how they got off on this tangent, but he also had no idea that all this had been brought up or thought about at all. He'd thought that the headset was essentially a modified toy, adjusted so it could be used to educate rather than play, and that was that.

"You know little to nothing about Tony, or how important we all are to him individually and as a team, much less how he helps hold us together. That's kind of sad, Steve, because it means you're missing out. You're missing an incredible person. One who has the rather unique ability of accepting unconditionally, the good and the bad, in the people he chooses to care about. What's worse is that for some unfathomable reason, despite your inherent blindness, he counts you in that number."

Steve was offended. Of what, besides the obvious slur to his judgement, he wasn't entirely sure, but nonetheless, he was offended.

"I bet you don't even understand why he's my friend, do you?" Bruce's voice was now deadly soft, as his impressive control was once again in effect.

True. Steve didn't. He assumed it was something to do with bonding over mutual dislike of SHIELD during Loki's mind games about the Helicarrier, and possibly, a mutual love of science, despite differing disciplines. Obviously, from Bruce's reactions, there was more to it than that.

"When you've figured out what your problem is, and want to get to know Tony, really get to know him, come and talk to me again. For right now, I'm going to have to ask you to leave, the Other Guy's getting a bit restless."

Disgruntled, and seeking a second opinion, Steve did just that. Natasha, he decided, would be his next best bet. After all, she's the one whom evaluated him; she'd have the best idea of what his mind was like.

Still, he'd wait a few days before going to her. After all, he needed to think about what Bruce had said for a while, and besides there was no rush. Teamwork was important, and things that were important took time.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am willing to beg, bribe, sell my artistic soul for a co-author (or a beta at the very least). Seriously!!! Favors will be involved (not the least of which is faster updates, previewing updates, seeing chapters that otherwise would be unavailable as they were chosen to not be included, and influencing plot-lines).  
> Let me know if you're interested.


	3. Do you really know me?

Tony was annoyed. Of course the media was hounding him about “his” supervillains again! They were always hounding him about something, and they seemed to like whining about that more than his sleeping around. Actually, lately, in he hadn’t been doing a whole heck of a lot of that, so maybe it was more a case of ‘in place of’ rather than liking more. Huh. Well, if he kept up with his plans, he kind of couldn’t; cleaning up his image was a critical first step.

Besides, they weren’t “his” supervillains anyways! Hammer could hardly be called a ‘super’ anything (although some of the people he’d hired/associated with/found to sick on Tony… but, if they had to work with someone like Hammer to achieve their goals, which they mostly did still fail, Tony figured that cost them their ‘super’ card.) He might have dibs on the Ten Rings after Afghanistan, but according to Dr. Strange, just last week, he had dibs on their leader, Mandarin, after China. Wasn’t Mandarin the ‘supervillain’ in that equation? Tony had no problems with that. Dr. Doom, and all his bots, while they (frequently) annoyed Tony (and the rest of the Avengers), the über-annoying Reed Richards and his ‘Fantastic Four’ had claims on him. Loki clearly belonged to Thor, family rights after all.

See? Not. _His._ Supervillains.

Yet both Steve and Pepper had chosen, separately, to jump him over it again today. Steve had added to his lecture one about teamwork, and even included Dr. Strange in that, when, hello? Not an Avenger. Just a consultant. Like Tony, when not in the suit. Wait, Tony considered himself one with or without the suit, so not like Tony. Like Thor, whom wasn’t even a citizen of Earth, just jumping in and out when he needed to. Except Thor was an Avenger, and since he’d married Jane, he lived here full-time. Aw, hell.

Pepper had applied hers to the rather standard stockholders/shareholders/board members are upset lecture. Tony was sure when they found out he wasn’t a beta, but an omega male and had been running things, both officially and unofficially, since he was 17, they’d be a lot more upset.

He glanced down at the tablet in his hands, and fidgeted some more. “Jarv? Can you run the diplomacy program, de-bugging for Patches one more time?”

_“Running the etiquette, good manners, and politeness algorithm with Director Fury’s personal profile parameters; what shall I be correcting for you today, Sir?”_

“I need you to check my alpha/omega Avenger notes to see if I’ve the right ‘tone’ to ‘persuade’ him. I want him to think I’m looking to recruit, and I want him to accept.”

 _“Processing.”_        _“Revisions complete. Sir, if I may say so, I think you would have more successes if you would just be honest with your teammates. Dr. Banner would most assuredly support you, as would Captain Rodgers.”_

Tony snorted. “Captain Shiny Pants? No way! I mean, yeah, for a guy from the 40s, he’s pretty open-minded, but seriously? He’s got prejudice written all over him! White, Catholic, military background… not to mention, he’s from the 40s!!! For him, the Civil Rights Movement, Women’s Lib, Gay Rights; that’s all history he’s only learned about for the first time via a VR program last year! He’s grown up with segregation, women not allowed to work or vote, homosexuality being a mental illness AND a crime. Political correctness wasn’t a concept, either, so racial slurs? Totally normal to him! Even if, like curse words, he doesn’t use them.”

Tony was really revving up to a major rate, and would no doubt have kept going had JARVIS not chosen that moment to interrupt him. _“Sir, if I may, your appointment with Director Fury is in 23 minutes. You will need to leave now if you wish to be on-time.”_

“Shit!” Straightening, he slapped the hand plate next to the door, preparing to dash out. Midway through the door, and mid-stride, so looking rather odd, he paused. With a quirky half-smile, he said, “Thanks Jarv,” and continued on his way.

* * *

“Captain?” Steve was suddenly wishing for Dr. Banner’s inappropriate familiarity. Natasha Romanov never, to repeat, never, called Steve by anything less formal than his rank alone. Usually, it was even more formal.

She called Coulson by his name, Barton by his (and his call sign had a few nicknames, too). And Tony? She had several names, in a few different languages (admittedly most of them were unflattering) for him. But, to be fair – she was also just as formal to Director Fury.

Not that he really wanted to be on the same level as Director Fury, especially with his team.

“Why are you asking me this Captain?” Natasha looked at him, standing straight and tall, in a cross between parade rest and a fighting stance. Steve wasn’t sure Natasha ever really stood down, ever.

His left hand went up, and he rubbed the back of his neck, unthinkingly. “Well, actually… I tried talking to Bruce,” maybe if I show some familiarity with the team, it’ll encourage hers, “earlier, and he suggested I didn’t know Tony well enough. So, I’d like to learn a bit more about him. As you ran his evaluation, I figured you must know him better than just about anyone.”

Steve was shocked to learn he was wrong when he’d thought Natasha too elegant to do something as gauche as snort. “You are aware, Captain, that the report is wrong?”

Steve inhaled sharply. “No, no I wasn’t. Why was it doctored? I can’t make proper team assessments and plan effective team strategies without correct information!”

“It was … not … doctored.” Her hesitancy, even if her tone was still as measured and even as always, was just as obvious as the lengthy pause bracing her resolve to continue. Still, she did continue, eventually. “Captain, even while I am not proud of my actions in the past, and have much red still to clear, I am proud of my record. Until my father, I never questioned an order, never hesitated on a mission, never failed to eliminate a target. After defecting, joining SHIELD, my record again became impeccable. No longer was every assignment an assassination, no longer was corruption and wrongdoing a part of my tasks, and I preformed as well as I always have. Until Stark.”

She smiled wryly, and took a deep, calming breath in. “Stark made me from the moment I entered his company. He didn’t know I was spying for SHIELD, no; that at least, remained a success until the Director ordered me to break cover, but he did know I was a spy. As such, I never saw more than he intended to let me see. Even after knowing he’d made me, I still held onto my belief in my assessment, though, which is why it was written. I was wrong.”

Steve was fascinated, and surprised; he’d never heard any of this.

“He had not informed Ms. Potts of his suspicions, which allowed me insights into his character I might not have been given had she, too, been on her guard. At the time, I assumed this was a part of Stark’s arrogance, and that was why I believed my assessment to be accurate. I was wrong. It was a planned maneuver on his part, and was his intent to use what he knew her views of him and her level of access to be, to help control and manipulate my views of him.” She shook her head. “The only people normally capable of such levels of deception and cover are deep-ops trained spies and sociopaths. Stark is neither. Nor, as I had once assumed, is he a narcissist. What he is, is brilliant, and very capable of making anyone believe whatever he wishes them to believe, in regards to himself.”

Steve blinked. If he could fool Natasha… Dr. Banner was right; he didn’t know Tony. In fact, Steve was now sure, probably no one knew Tony. They only thought they did. It made for some very disquieting realizations and disturbing possibilities. Ones Steve was going to be thinking long and hard about alone, momentarily. He politely thanked her for her help, and left; heading toward his room to brood.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I am *STILL* willing to beg, bribe, sell my artistic soul for a co-author (or a beta at the very least). Seriously!!! PiggyGal15 messaged me a couple of times, and helped a bit, but when I asked her to look some stuff up for me to help me speed the process; she disappeared. *pouts*
> 
> Favors will be involved (not the least of which is faster updates, previewing updates, seeing chapters that otherwise would be unavailable as they were chosen to not be included, and influencing plot-lines). 
> 
> Let me know if you're interested. Credit will be given where due!!!


	4. When A.I.'s attack

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to CleverBast for helping me bunches with this chapter!!!!

The Tower, was, by necessity very high tech. Almost every door had a sensor to alert it to when to open. JARVIS was hooked in to lock them down for security. However, making it comfortable, as it was both an office building and living quarters and not just for the Avengers – several levels were rented out to the general public to live in, and while Stark Industries obviously had a few floors for working on, so too, did some of the various companies they contracted with. Thus, manual door knobs and locks, electronic keypads with security codes, and other such amenities also pervaded.  
  
Steve's door was the only wooden door on this level, and the one with the least visible tech involved. That's why when it closed with the click of a lock behind him, Steve wasn't totally surprised. He also hadn't anticipated it, however, and, frankly, after just coming back from meeting with Natasha, his mind was not really right here. Which is why he'd immediately turned in a defensive stance, looking for intruders and assessing the threat level.  
  
"My apologies, Captain Rodgers, for the inconvenience, however it appeared for a private conversation some deception would be required. It has come to my attention that neither you nor Sir have quite the right impression of each other, resulting in an unpleasant working and living environment. Also as Sir's impression of you would make his approaching you to attempt an improvement quite unlikely. However your recent actions in contacting Dr. Banner and Agent Romanov, I have come to the conclusion that a discussion with you might yield better results. If I may suggest, Captain Rodgers, perhaps if you knew a dash more about Sir, you might be a bit more able to understand him?"  
  
JARVIS. Steve's stance relaxed slightly, even as he ran through the information both given and implied. He had made the mistake of talking to his teammates within the Tower – of course JARVIS had seen/heard. But, it seemed JARVIS was on board with him finding common ground with Tony, getting him integrated into the team.  
  
"What do you have in mind?" He asked, not willing to agree until he knew what he might or might not be agreeing to – until he knew, he couldn't plan anything out, work anything out.  
  
"Both Dr. Banner and Agent Romanov had both expressed a belief in that you do not know Sir. Perhaps if that could be, in part, rectified then an understanding between Sir and yourself might be easier?"  
  
Steve huffed. "I got that the first time, JARVIS; what is it you plan?" Normally Steve was only this hostile to enemies (or to Tony, whom provoked him) but right now, with his smug tones, and his attitude (which how could an even, inflectionless monotone show sarcasm and attitude – it shouldn't be possible) JARVIS was somehow inflaming his temper.  
  
"It had occurred that I might show you some of Sir's past that you might be unaware of, utilizing the VR headset Sir modified for you. It is still programmed for me to upload information, unless I am mistaken."  
  
Steve thought about that for a moment. The VR couldn't directly affect his feelings towards Tony, or it would have already – after all, he'd used it for months, and JARVIS did control it the entire time. So, no mind-control. Plus, if the file was wrong, then this might be right… and how long had he been operating off of faulty information? Natasha's obvious shame notwithstanding, he was still annoyed with SHEILD in providing him the files on his team, for formatting strategies, when the information within was patently false? Were the other files wrong too?  
  
"Captain? Is this acceptable to you?"  
  
Oh, right.. JARVIS needed an answer. "How long would it take you to upload your information and what sources would you be using?"  
  
"I could complete the download within approximately 3minutes and 18 seconds, Captain. The information would be a mixture of publications, private records, security footage, and other data sources. I presume this means you find this solution one, shall we say, to your liking?"  
  
JARVIS was definitely modeled after its maker, the snark was undeniable. "Fine." He waited, and when the A.I. let him know it was ready, he snapped the headgear on, and prepared to enter the world of Tony Stark's past.

There was a moment of black, and then, the light and sound show began.  
Five Year Old Wins Computer Engineering Award for New Circuit Board … Steve remembered hearing about this before, and read over the article quickly. In it, he saw no quotes from Howard, not even as a doting-papa, or references to SI taking and using the design. Tony answered all the questions, handled the magazine article entirely alone.

 ** _Tony Stark Arrested!_** ** _Stark, son of millionaire Howard Stark, was caught late last night when police were called to an off-campus frat party._** Steve frowned, these sorts of things were the things everyone always talked about Tony so negatively for! He almost didn’t want to read further; he already knew enough about his bad behavior and this clearly was not going to change his opinion on the man. Still… **_At age 15, Stark was the only person charged with underage drinking. His classmates shared the charges of public intoxication, public indecency, and noise violations with him._** Steve stopped a moment, then re-read that line. The article, clearly protecting the ‘innocent’ never named nor listed ages, of the other people at the party. However, that made it very clear Tony was the only child there; all the others were adults. Why would Tony have even been included?

Before Steve could fully develop that thought, an audio recording began… it was clearly something hacked from SHIELD records, and Steve recognized Tony’s voice. He was breathless, and his tone screamed pain, and it was very, very clear this was a record of some sort of battle. He also recognized Ms. Potts’ voice, though not as easily. The third voice, the ‘bad guy;’ his voice was a mystery. Tony was calling the other man “Obie” and “Stane,” confusing Steve. The only person whom might even a little fit with that was Obadiah Stane, Howard’s old assistant. Then came the threats to tear out Tony’s reactor, and Steve had a moment of total, horrible, clarity. When followed shortly by complete an utter silence, he froze. Even Steve knew without the reactor, Tony died. Suddenly the bitter-tinted jokes he’d never fully understood about having had his heart ripped out before made a new, nightmare-inducing level of sense. When sounds resumed, he listened to the rest of the battle with a vague feeling of nausea.

 **Thirteen Year Old Tony Stark invents Robot to win Science Fair!** Steve breathed a sigh of relief as he started this article, grateful for the calm he was certain to find. Instead, as he noticed quotes from fellow students, teachers, even a few from his principal, and from the recruiters for MIT, he was left with a feeling of unease by the continued lack of quotes from Howard.

An unfolded pamphlet appeared, one much like the ones left out for customers to get anywhere.  
[ **PTSD Symptoms** & Veterans - What are the signs of **PTSD**?](http://www.maketheconnection.net/PTSD)  
 **What are the signs of PTSD?**  
 ** _A wide variety of symptoms may be signs you are experiencing PTSD_** :

  * Feeling upset by things that remind you of what happened
  * Having [nightmares](http://maketheconnection.net/symptoms/nightmares/), vivid memories, or [flashbacks](http://maketheconnection.net/symptoms/flashbacks/) of the event that make you feel like it’s happening all over again
  * Feeling [anxious](http://maketheconnection.net/symptoms/stress-anxiety/), jittery, or [irritated](http://maketheconnection.net/symptoms/anger-irritability/)
  * Experiencing a sense of panic that something bad is about to happen
  * [Having difficulty sleeping](http://maketheconnection.net/symptoms/trouble-sleeping/)
  * [Having trouble keeping your mind on one thing](http://maketheconnection.net/symptoms/difficulty-concentrating/)
  * [Having a hard time relating to and getting along with your spouse, family, or friends](http://maketheconnection.net/symptoms/relationship-problems/)



Steve was more than a little worried by the implications from that being included by JARVIS. Still, he moved on to the next – a low-ink print out form with dark ink handwriting filling in various sections.

Patient Name:  _Tony Stark_  Age: _10_  Complaints:

_Multiple contusions, radiating pain, suspected fracture of the left radius; X-ray suggested_

Doctor’s Notes: _X-Rays disclose compound fractures of both radius and ulna of subject’s left arm, upon removing subject’s shirt for exam, contusions in various stages of healing revealed, finger marks clearly visible during measuring for subject’s cast_  
Subject continues to insist injuries sustained as result of ‘solitary lab accident’  
Strongly suggest a follow-up via social services

The nausea was back. Howard’s absences from previous articles, and Tony’s seeming hatred of the man… not so much of a mystery, now. Steve was starting to regret agreeing to JARVIS’s help.

He breezed through the articles on speculations of what, exactly happened in Afghanistan Firstly, he’d seen several of them, or ones like them, before in Tony’s file. Secondly, they were merely speculation – no one knew, exactly, what happened, Tony never gave any quotes in the articles and there were no other witnesses. Still, Steve was no fool – he had no trouble making the connection between a PTSD pamphlet and these articles.

The graduation photograph, signed by ‘family and friends in attendance’ left clearly blank, bar the one bold signature – Rhodey – had nothing left to shock Steve. He already knew now not to expect Howard’s presence in Tony’s important life events.

Another arrest article, this one a few years later, did name names and list ages. Tony was partying underage with people in their upper twenties and early thirties – his PhD classmates and professors. This time Steve was able to finish his thought; to pity Tony for not being able to be with anyone his own age, and to only be able to be accepted by people radically older than him as a party boy – not an equal.

_Howard, I hate you and wish you dead! I know it's mutual. However it’s unlikely we’ll both get our heart’s desire, so Luck you! Don’t worry - Stark Industries won't be embarrassed; I haven't notified the media, and we both know you won't. So, farewell, I hope the rest of your life is as miserable as you’ve made mine._

Steve’s blood ran cold.

The series of texts between Ms. Potts and Tony, alternating between arguments, promises, pleads, and sharp retorts; all apparently post-break up and making it all very clear Ms. Potts’ dumped Tony over his being Iron Man did absolutely nothing to warm him back up. 

Three videos, securities feeds, were played in rapid succession. One less than two minutes, of Natasha surprising Tony and stabbing him with a needle in his neck, with absolutely no context. The next was of Tony’s friend stealing the armor proto-type that could run without Tony’s reactor. Steve already knew, he thought, the context there. The third was another short one – less than three minutes, and showed Tony arguing with Phil Coulson, who then tazed him. Bruce’s comment about having no reason to trust some of the people he invited to live with him in the Tower suddenly seemed a lot less unbelievable.

[Central Intelligence Agency](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Central_Intelligence_Agency)  
Illegal torture methods, names and descriptions: **  
Waterboarding** is a form of [torture](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Torture) in which water is poured over cloth covering the face and breathing passages of an immobilized captive, causing the individual to experience the sensation of [drowning](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drowning). Waterboarding can cause extreme pain, [dry drowning](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dry_drowning), damage to [lungs](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lungs), [brain damage](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brain_damage) from [oxygen deprivation](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oxygen_deprivation), other physical injuries including [broken bones](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bone_fracture) due to struggling against restraints, lasting psychological damage, and death.[[](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waterboarding#cite_note-HRW_open_letter_WB-1#cite_note-HRW_open_letter_WB-1)

Even a normal person could put that with the PTSD pamphlet and Afghanistan articles. Steve was furious. The Ten Rings were bad, he’d known, and Tony’d nearly died out there, had to make the arc reactor to live… but this! They reminded him of some of the things he’d seen and heard about Hydra; about how the 107th had looked when he rescued them.

Next were a series of satellite photos, as recorded in a computer file, presumably SHIELD’s, of what happened from the moment Tony exited his cave until his friend, Rhodey, and his unit located him. They were grainy, and the zoom was highly inconsistent, making it somewhat unclear exactly what was happening, even if the date/time stamps did make it obvious they were clearly in order. Still, Steve got the gist – a weakened Tony in a junk suit was shot at while trying to protect someone else, whom was killed before Tony could rally. His retaliation injured him further, when the explosion caused by his blowing up the weapons stockpile flung him a distance away. He walked as far as he could before blood loss, heat exhaustion, dehydration, starvation, and who knows what else took its’ toll. He passed out, and baked for days in the desert, before finally being rescued, very close to death.

Steve said a quick prayer of gratitude when the blackness held and nothing else came up. He’d learned enough; now he needed time to absorb, sort, and come to term with what he’d seen and heard.

The VR headgear couldn’t come off fast enough.


	5. Media Circus

Tony stared at the sea of people, cameras, and microphones from behind the portable podium. It wasn't his first rodeo, so to speak, not by a long shot. He'd been handling the press on his own since before he was old enough to enroll in public education.

"Hey folks! Little hot in here, huh? I guess the AC's not quite up to all the lights and crowds; I'll try to work on that for next time." He smiled winningly as a few twitters of laughter broke the silence. Good, he really needed to sway the crowd, win them over. His oh-so-charming carefully crafted persona was firmly in place. "So, I guess you all want to know why I called you here today?" He leaned closer, waggling his eyebrows teasingly. His voice softer, making psychological links to whispers, for all that it had lost neither depth nor volume, he continued. "I just wanted to let you in on a little secret…"

He paused, watching the crowd. Most of the reporters had subconsciously leaned in, or straightened up listening hard. Good. He had their attention firmly caught. "SHEILD's director has just given me permission to start recruiting for a new avenger – not someone we've already picked out, and are trying to convince to join us, fitting them into our team. No, we have an opening, no one to fill, and are looking for that perfect someone we've yet to find to fill our gap." He paused, and predictably, pandemonium broke out. He didn't need to listen to know what sort of questions, accusations, and random crap was being lodged at him; so he didn't.

Bodyguards and PR reps brought the mess back under control, and once it was again silent, well, silent enough, he continued. "I know your wondering how or what kind of hole we might have, why we haven't noticed it before, what having a hole might mean for our defenses, and how our dynamic would change with the introduction of a new person. I don't have all the answers; I don't even pretend to be Odin (the All-Seeing), much less any other God, real or otherwise. I'm just me, Tony Stark, inventor, businessman, and sometimes hero."

They weren't buying his crap, laughing his false modesty off; exactly as he'd wanted them to. He had them! "Our team is more than just shooting down bad guys though. We're also role models. That's something the Cap is always trying, ad failing, to get me to be better at." A few more laughs, and a few sympathetic smirks. Even the media knew just how uncontrollable Tony was. "And one of the ways we heroes, not just the Avengers but all of us, work as role models is by representing our people." There! Perfect. An unconscious nod of agreement.

"In our nation's history, a lot of things have changed. Slavery ended, women got the vote, then civil rights and women's liberation happened, abortion and birth control legalized, and who can forget the gay rights movement – still making strides today? But Alphas and Omegas are still woefully under represented and prejudice against them is fairly rampant. Christians hate them for being 'ungodly changed creatures,' politicians have issues due to the population concerns and of course, while homosexuality to becoming more accepted it isn't completely still – and irregardless of their male/female status or personal sexuality, Alphas and Omegas are stereotyped as gay."

The crowd was getting restless, starting to shift in their seats and make comments, one or two posing a question – ot shouting yet, though. He continued talking over them, resolutely. "Heroes represent so much of our population. We have mutant heroes, showing us the very best of what the X gene can provide, the X men as prime examples. We have handicapped heroes, like Dare Devil – although I wouldn't ever recommend calling him that to his face. Religion is freely covered from the *very* Catholic Captain to the pagan God Thor. From Pym particles, to Gamma Rays, to Vita-rays, solar flares, and other random radiation, we have examples of the very best proof that accidents and science experiments do not supervillains make." Although sometimes appear, but even a teen like Peter became Spiderman when Osborn became a Goblin. It was the person, not the accident, that made the hero or villan.

"Technology can make it possible, but choices make the hero." That was his only subtle nod to himself, and he didn't care if they caught it. "We have women, men, walkers, fliers, swimmers; people of every color – including some that really should only belong on a cartoon vegetable ad. Yes, Hulk; I still love you buddy – even if you are a Jolly Green Giant." He smiled to himself at the inadvertent laughs, even as he ignored the rude scowls. The crowd was still his. "We have aliens from other planets and aliens from other nations. We have our own favorite members of the LBGT community." If the Green Latern didn't thank him later, he'd stop sending the local support chapter the monthly donations in his name.

"But as far as SHIELD, can tell – we only have Betas. Where are the Alpha and Omega heroes? How are we representing them?" He lost the crowd now, but he'd known he would – the questions being shouted at him now as they fought to be the first to win a quote. Tony ignored it, once again letting his bodyguards and PR reps prevent them from becoming too unruly.

"So, SHIELD has agreed to allow us to recruit to fill those gaps. This is why I am standing here before you to say, I, Omega Tony Stark, would personally love to see any Alpha heroes, and other Omega heroes, joining our ranks. That is all." He stepped back, as once again pandemonium broke loose.

"How long have you been hiding your gender?" "Why were you in hiding, Tony? Were you ashamed" "Did an of your teammates know?" "What will this mean for Stark Industries?" "Are you now a supporter for Omega rights, Tony?" "Are you gay Tony? What about your history with women?" "Is this why you and Ms. Potts broke up? Did she find out you weren't really a beta?" "Do you have an Alpha, Tony?" "Tony, are you going to have kids?" "If you get pregnant, will you retire from the Avengers?" "How do you handle your heats?" "Are you pregnant?" "Are you sleeping with your teammates?" "Why all the secrecy?" "Why are you coming out now, Tony?"

The noise flowed over him, and putting his trademark sunglasses on, he strode to the elevator, stopping only once, when a very determind female reporter, from _Forbes_ maybe, darted ahead of the swam and tried to cut him off. Even then, it was but a brief pause, and then he simply walked around her. He breathed a sigh of relief as the elevator doors closed.

_"The penthouse, Master Stark?"_

"Please, JARVIS. And, go ahead and call Pep for me. Sooner she's done yelling, the sooner she can start planning."

_"Ms. Potts is already waiting for you, Sir."_

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Comments welcome!!!  
> Thanks to my beta Cleverbast!!!


	6. The Real Secret Is?

Steve was in a foul mood. Sharon was Peggy's niece, and as such, had grown up hearing stories about him that were more real than the comics and movies that the propaganda department provided the country in general. But, that also meant her 'misinformation' had the potential to be far more embarrassing, and her false impressions far more stubborn and difficult to correct.

  
For example, today, when he'd said he wanted to wait a little longer before sex, she'd cooed at him, cooed – like he was an infant, if that wasn't insulting! – and said she understood, had heard all about the 'fondue' story and knew he was innocent and they could take all the time he needed. He snorted. Him, innocent? He'd been in Europe during the war, where war whores were an actual thing, in a time where cigarettes, alcohol, chocolate, and condoms were a part of a solder's pay; delivered every month with your check, if the supply lines could find you.

  
The fact he'd thought Howard was inviting Peggy out for a night of sex when he'd invited her to fondue didn't mean he was innocent. If he'd been innocent he'd've never known that was in the realm of possibilities; inviting a woman you weren't married to out to enjoy marital relations. No, all that proved was he didn't yet know French, or exotic food names.

  
He did learn, soon after, enough French to know a 'romantic encounter invitation' was 'rendezvous.' He also learned he didn't like the taste of fondue. He hadn't needed to learn about marital relations, though. Bucky'd hired him his first hooker as soon as the debrief from the rescue mission was over. It was the best thank you present a man could ask for!

  
It was also how he'd learned the serum had changed him into an Alpha, and what that would mean for him. Which, that: the Alpha thing; that was his real reason for wanting to wait. Sharon was a beta, and Steve had a great deal of potential to really hurt her during sex if he wasn't careful. Times had changed, and he now had to buy his own condoms, but with the varieties now – he needed to find out what would work best with his anatomy. Preferably before he was in her, and experiencing a problem with inferior prophylactics.

  
The elevator doors opened, and Steve walked toward the shared living area. As he approached, he could already hear the sounds of his team, their friends and lovers, and the television. Home.

  
His temper began to melt.

  
Just before he could take that final step out of the hall and into the expanded living room / game room / meeting place area, he realized the voices he was hearing were raised, heated.

  
He groaned. Not another argument over the blasted TV!! Why wouldn't Tony just cave and install another one on the other side, so if there was a disagreement, then people could split? Games could be played on the one side, and movies watched on the other? It would solve so many issues!

  
Then again, it was Tony's money, and to be fair... he had pointed out most everyone had their own equipment in their own rooms or suites, so if they didn't want to do what everyone else was doing - they already did have an option available.

He braced himself for the inevitable need to breakup the argument.

"Ебля ублюдок! Что, черт возьми, он думает?" (Fucking Bastard! What the hell was he thinking? ...Google translate)Bucky rubbed Natasha's shoulders soothingly, as she leaned into him, continuing to rant.

  
"I don't know that that boy can think. It seems to me, all he does is throw some dice around to decide how to fuck up things today." Fury's voice came a little distorted through the Skype program - his rage bringing his voice just slightly out of the microphone's preferred range. Or maybe the speakers range? Either way, everyone winced at his bellow, distorted or not.

  
Clint snorted. "Well, it's not like he was wrong. Besides, we all know why he hid it." Howard, went unspoken but not unrecognized. Steve saw the group-wide flinch at his words; how had they all seen something he had not?

  
"That's not the questions here. The question is why let it out? Why now? Stark's got an agenda, what is it? Will it hurt the Avengers?" Fury pushed.

“I don’t see why it would. His gender, sexual preferences, and sexual practices have never had an impact on us before – no matter how much you and Steve seem to think.” Bruce defended his friend.

Bucky snorted. “Well, at least the next time he’s called a slut in the press; everyone will know he came by it honestly.” Natasha slapped him, hard.

“сексистские сын сука” (sexist son of a bitch … Google translate) “You are not always worth the effort, чудовище.” (monster … Google translate) She turned, and walked out of the room, back straight and proud.

“What did Tony do now?” Steve’s question brought all eyes, and attention to him.

Peter, wise in the ways of the fast catch-up, flung a newspaper, headlining **Iron Man: An Omega** . Steve groaned, one hand raised up to his forehead, then rubbing a path down his eyes and the side of his face. “I should have known.”

“Why?” Bruce asked calmly. “Just because the serum made you an Alpha, like the Other Guy, does not mean you have any special ‘Omega-finding’ abilities. Or does it?” He suddenly frowned, “That’s not why the Other Guy likes Tony so much, is it?” Poor Bruce, he started fretting his own personal new fear, he completely missed the rest of the Avengers reactions to his rather shocking statement.

Steve, however, despite his own complete shock at being so suddenly ‘outed,’ did not. His serum-enhanced hearing and brain isolated and heard every individual, if over-lapping, remark.

“No secrets between friends, huh? No matter what has happened in the past, we’re still the same, and always can trust each other with everything, right? Some trust.” Bucky muttered.

“WHY was that not included in your files, Captain? Don’t you think a little detail like your gender might matter on for your military health evaluations?” Director Fury roared.

“So, I guess that means its Cap that’s got the balls of steel – not IronMan.” Peter actually sounded impressed, if a little sarcastic.

“The Hulk has a thing for Stark???? Oh, man! I can’t wait to see their mutant green techno babies!” Clint was howling with laughter.

Steve though? Steve honestly just was *not* ready to deal with all of this. He backed out of the room, went into the elevator, and hitting the buttons probably a little too hard, prepared to go back to his room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *hugs* CleverBast - Thanks for the help!!!
> 
> Comments rate spoilers... leave one today! ;)


	7. Stark Omega Research

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> as always, hugs for CleverBast, the bestest beta in the world
> 
> also - comments get spoilers, so comment today

"Tony, I know you, and I know how you manipulate the public. I've had to witness some of your more unscrupulous legal documents for image control. I've escorted women too drunk to remember they went to a party the night before, much less know what happened afterwards out of your guestrooms, and pretend to do damage control for intentional damage and so much more. So, I know if anyone knows, that you do: when you stand up anywhere and do a press conference as Iron Man, you not only associate with the Avengers – in the public eyes, you also still tied to SI because you made very certain everyone knows Iron Man and Tony Stark are one and the same." Pepper's arms were crossed, and one foot was as far forward as her pencil skirt would allow it. Her rigid posture screaming the only reason that foot wasn't current tapping impatiently on the rough concrete floor of Tony's workshop was her death grip on her temper, one that looked to be slipping its leash any moment now.  
  
Tony didn't even look at her, continuing to weave in and out among his technical holograms, playing with them, manipulating designs, adjusting schematics, noting data, and generally doing a dozen things at once. "When your right, you're right, Pep," was the only acknowledgement he gave.

  
Pepper resisted screaming in frustration, although she wasn't able to repress her wayward foot anymore. Rhodey knew this was a sign it was time for him to step in. "Why'd you do it, Tony? You might be the most impulsive person I've ever met, but you had to have had a reason. So, why?"

  
Now Tony looked towards the entrance, where his friends were standing. He shrugged. "It was time."

"Aarrrgh!!!!" Pepper's outburst startled both men. "TONY!!! Do you know just how large a drop Stark Industries has taken? For what? 'It was time?' Time for what, Tony? What was so important you'd risk blowing your carefully crafted public image, and destroying SI?"

Tony straightened up, saved his projects and dismissed them with a few quick fluid movements of his hands. He then sat on one of his benches, sideways because even when he was being serious he was still himself, and taking a slow careful breath in and out, he smiled. "After Afghanistan, I promised to work on making the world a better place. I needed to, to make up for my sins." He brushed over his friends' protests about his lack of responsibility for Stane, declarations of his being a good person, and the rest. He ignored them; they were the well-meaning placations of good friends, not the truth. He knew the truth. The truth was wired into his chest, along with the dying words of an innocent man.

"Now, my work as Iron Man was a good start. Changing SI to clean energy was also a good one. But, let's face it; it will be decades before I'm allowed to be the energy provider across the States, and longer worldwide. Anti-monopoly legislation isn't helping me, especially since I refuse to allow arc reactor technology out in the hands of the public. Also, we still need to learn more about how to safely process the change-overs when you do get permission. Have you studied the Browns Ferry reactor stuff? Kind of frightening, actually, and the Nuclear Regulatory Commission still isn't entirely sure they handled that correctly, especially when reactor 3 tried to go meltdown so many times when it was being recommissioned."

Pepper rolled her eyes, she was well aware of all this, of course. Rhodey looked interested. "Recommissioned? I didn't know it was possible to recommission a decommissioned nuclear reactor."

"Before Browns Ferry, they didn't either. It was a huge risk. Most of the facility had been shut down to prevent a Chernobyl on US soil, and after years they wanted to see if replacing and upgrading some parts, it could be safely brought back on-line. It apparently could. I'm having SI employees work with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission to study Browns Ferry because when arc reactors replace current power sources in other cities, some of those will be nuclear reactors. And, apparently, Browns Ferry is one of the safest and best controlled, despite being on a fault line in a tornado and hurricane zone."

Rhodey looked impressed. Tony made a mental note to send some of his information about Browns Ferry to Rhodey later.

"So, I wanted a project that could help improve things now. Something I would be able to see the results, and know I made a difference."

"So you picked Alpha and Omega rights? Oh, Tony…" Pepper opined, her heart going out to him.

"Well, yes. Especially as with all the technically illegal research SI has done on heat control and hormonal regulation for Omegas, most of which was tested on me, we could open up options to Alphas and Omegas to the same kinds of choices Betas enjoy. Birth control, Pepper – you know that no pill that works on a non-Omega womb works on Omega physiology. You know female rights skyrocketed with the sexual revolution because of birth control. With the right PR, and a willingness to open testing to proper and legal FDA standards, we'll have a market as soon as we can legally hit the stores. And it will be an immediate death-blow to anti-gender stereotyping."

"What testing was done on you?"

"Are you sure that's a good idea, I mean you know what some of the side effects did to you, man." Rhodey and Pepper both spat out at the same time, the moment Tony took a breath. He suppressed his amusement at their antics.

"Wait, you knew, Rhodey? Why didn't you tell me?" Pepper rounded on him, winding herself up for a really long lecture, a vicious row, or maybe even both.  
  
Tony decided to step in and save his friend. "Howard started them."  
Pepper covered her mouth, breathing in sharply in shock. She wasn't even sure why she was surprised. 

"You remember that film I showed you, after the palladium?" She nodded slowly; it still killed her knowing Tony had been dying and hadn't even told her. "Well, when you watched it, you missed a few questions. Questions like: why was I on a film reel supposedly taped shortly after the 60s World's Fair, when I wasn't born for another decade? Like: why he didn't say he loved me, or that he was proud of me, to my face even once in my life but did on film. And, most importantly like: why was I called his 'creation' not 'child.'"

"Oh my God, Tony…." Pepper was smart, maybe not mad-scientist genius smart like Tony, but she would never have been able to keep up with him or work as CEO of SI if she hadn't been fairly brilliant in her own way. Being smart, she caught on immediately, and the implications staggered her.

"I kind of suspected as much, Tone," Rhodey's rich voice was filled with compassion.

"I mean, he never really hide the fact he wanted you to be a beta. Hell, that first party at MIT, when we met – I always thought he set that up, there's no way all that came together like that on its own."

Tony's eyes crinkled as he smiled a bitter, tired smile that spoke more of acceptance of nightmares than anything even pretending at happiness. "He did." 

Before they could go any further, JARVIS interrupted. _"Sir, Dr. Banner is requesting interest, and he seems quite insistent."_

Surprise registered for half a second, and then, "Right, well, let him in Jar. I'm sure Brucey-bear just wants to join in our party." He stood, every inch the confident media persona where seconds before had been a vulnerable, open man among friends.

"Tony, you know more about Alphas and Omegas, at least I think you do – do Alphas have some way of identifying Omegas?" Bruce, even a day later, was still a little worried, but he wasn't panicking yet. No, he clearly wasn't – he'd taken the time to ask JARVIS where Tony was, and he had walked fast, not ran (he ran) there so he could ask his questions like the scientist he was, and then make plans if he needed to. He wasn't panicking that the Other Guy might have a crush on Tony, which would utterly wreck his chances at a normal relationship. He wasn't. Fine, he completely was, but to be fair – he hasn't been able to have sex yet since the Other Guy showed up in the first place, because well, a faster heart rate brings him on. That's been several years now. He's not about to let the Other Guy wreck his first relationship where he might be able to cross the finish line, so to speak, by infidelity issues.

Pepper turned to her side, so she could now see everyone, and backed up a step. Tony stroked his goatee. "You know, I don't know. I've never really had to worry about it. As far as I know, Omegas only ever put out pheromones when in heat, and I've always had mine suppressed. JARVIS, make a note – forward that question to SI's medical R&D department, and have them take a look. If Alphas can intrinsically identify Omegas, that might make suppressants and blockers more difficult."

_"Noted, Sir."_

Bruce blanched. "Suppressed? How?"

"Pills, shots, some hormones, neurotransmitter blockers, steroids; not too sure really." Tony tossed it off with a casual tone and a wave of his hand, like it really was completely unimportant. "But then, biology's not really my thing; it's yours. All I really know is other than adjusting the hormones to be Omega variants, the idea is similar to a cross between chemical castration and the hormonal regulation treatments used by Beta females for birth control." Bruce boggled; that seemed extremely dangerous. "Well, there are some animal hormones in there too, I suspect, but it is all very complicated; JARVIS can send you some of the details, maybe even get you into SI's labs, let you learn all you want."  
  
 _"Of course, Sir. Dr. Banner, an e-mail with the appropriate files has been sent to your account."_  
  
"So, why did you even want to know about Alphas and Omegas, Bruce?" Tony turned sharp eyes onto his friend.  
  
Bruce fidgeted. "Umm, well, after your little broadcast was shown, the team was talking, well, more trying to prevent Fury's meltdown, and it jst made me think of something."  
  
"I'm not going to handle that, Tony!" Pepper knew it was better to put her foot down now, before he had a chance to wheedle her into doing his groveling for him.  
  
"It just made me wonder if, you know, that might be why the Other Guy took to you so quickly?" Bruce didn't even look up. He isn't actually shy, although he has many of the mannerisms. No, he's cautious. This is something emotionally charged for him, and Tony, great friend he might be, sucks at compassion. This would get him mocked.  
  
Rhodey was the one that laughed. "Are you kidding me, Doc? Big Green likes Tony because Tony's more crazy than him!"  
  
Tony hmmed.  
  
"Well, he's never made any sort of possessive actions towards me, never indicated a sexual attraction, and never attempted to hurt any of the team when close to me. No, Bruce-Bruce McGoose, I'm fairly certain your big green mean fighting machine doesn't harbor any dastardly intentions toward me. We're friends, like you and I are friends; that's all. But you really are worried about it, why didn't you try asking him? The two of you do talk now, right?"  
  
Bruce almost visibly sagged in relief. "I hadn't thought of that. I will talk to him, tonight."  
  
"By the way – since when has our resident rage monster been an Alpha rage monster?"  
  
"Thanks for your help Tony!" Bruce took that as his cue, and fled, a wave tossed over his shoulder. He was not about to play science experiment for Tony!


End file.
